Diagnose and resolve network problems in Windows. Diagnostics of the computer for faults

State educational budgetary institution of secondary vocational education Voronezh region

"Voronezh College of Construction Technologies"

COURSE PROJECT

By academic discipline: “Maintenance of computer equipment”

Subject: Typical faults operating system, algorithms for finding and eliminating them

Head teacher Govorukhina O.E.

Student of group K09.1 Rudnev A.I./

VORONEZH 2013

Introduction

Software problems computers are much more common than hardware ones. There is no such software yet that would work stably under any conditions.

The most common OS is Windows; it is used by a large number of people all over the world. Manufacturers computer equipment and peripheral devices are focused mainly on the release of products compatible with Windows. The Windows operating system is easy to install, update, and easy to use. The most common operating systems from Microsoft are Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and already Windows 8.- this operating system, with the help of which work with a computer is carried out, it is something like a translator-intermediary between the computer and the user. No matter how perfect operating systems are, they will never be able to create normal conditions for the operation of all existing software. In addition, compatibility of operating systems with the release of each new system getting worse. In such conditions, developers are forced to write programs targeted at a specific operating system. The user can either work with certified programs or put up with the current situation. Purpose of the course project studies of typical operating system faults, algorithms for finding and eliminating them. To do this, it is necessary to solve a number of problems:

.Solving operating system problems, finding faults and eliminating them step by step.

.Extend the life of your computer's operating system.

.Implement support for modern software at an acceptable level.

1. REVIEW - STAGE PART

The review and production part of the course project describes a computer with the Windows XP operating system, its characteristics, software for identifying errors and correcting them.

1 OBJECT OF STUDY

A PC with the following configuration was provided for the study:

.Motherboard:ASUSP4P800 SE(SocketS478;ATX;DDRDIMMx4;AGP;PCIx5;GAME/MIDI;5.1CH;SATA;USBx8;COMx1;LAN);

2.CPU:Intel Celeron M 540 Merom (1866MHz, L2 1024Kb, 533MHz);

.RAM: Samsung DDR 400 DIMM 1Gb;

.Video card: InnoVISION GeForce 6200 350Mhz;AGP;512Mb;533Mhz;DVI TV);

.Power supply: Foxline 400W;

.Drive:Sony NEC Optiarc AD-7283S Black(DVD RW;CD;SATA);

.HDD: Hitachi 43N3403 (320GB; SATA 1.5Gb/s; 2.5 );

.Speakers:Genius SP-HF 1201A(30W;2.0);

.Case:GIGABYTE GZ-F4 w/o PSU Black (ATX, mATX, Midi-Tower, steel, 2xUSB front panel, 180x420x380 mm, 3.3 kg;

Operating system: Microsoft Windows XP, Service Pack 2, Microsoft company 2004

2. Design part

1 Typical operating system malfunctions, algorithms for finding and eliminating them

2.1 Windows won't boot

There may be several reasons for this computer malfunction, but the main one is partial or complete destruction files necessary to boot the operating system. This problem may occur due to incorrect termination Windows operation, power surges, sudden power outages as a result of computer viruses. Also, the inability to boot the operating system may occur due to missing or incorrectly installed system device drivers, errors in the BIOS settings, errors system registry Windows.

The solution to this problem.

The inability to load the operating system may occur due to missing or incorrectly installed system device drivers. Let's try to solve our problems with starting Windows XP using the last known good configuration; it restores the system registry and driver settings that were used during the last known good configuration successful download systems. You need to restart the computer and press the key when starting. Next, select “Load last known good configuration” and press . You have one attempt to restore the last known known configuration.

If nothing works, then you need to try restarting the computer. When prompted to “Select an operating system to launch,” you need to press a key and boot into safe mode, then click Start->Programs->Accessories->System Tools->System Restore. In safe mode, only the option “Recover more than early state computer" since it is already selected by default, just click "Next". Then select control point recovery and start the recovery process.

There is one way to restore Windows XP boot, you need to create an additional partition on your hard drive or take another hard drive, install a new one copy of Windows XP there.

The boot files will be overwritten in any case and you can choose between the new operating system and the old one, which should boot, then delete the new one or exclude it from the boot menu.

In most cases, boot problems occur due to the absence of system files, primarily: Boot.ini, NTLDR, Ntdetect.com, which are usually damaged or deleted due to a virus or other numerous reasons.

In Microsoft terminology, these boot files(NTLDR, BOOT.INI, NTDETECT.COM, NTBOOTDD.SYS and BOOTSECT.DOS for multiboot systems) are located in system partition, boot sector which contains the WinNT system boot loader. At the same time, the disk partition or disk on which the WinNT folder is located and, accordingly, system files, necessary for the operation of the OS.

2.2.2 Registry error

The Windows\system32\config\system file is damaged or missing, you and I may receive such a message during the initial phase of loading the operating system. The error occurs when the registry is seriously damaged.

I’ll tell you right away there are few ways to fix this problem, but they exist.

Solution to the problem.

On the menu additional parameters boot, select the item “Load last known good configuration”, then Windows XP will apply the system registry boot parameters and driver settings that were used when the system was last successfully booted.

If all else fails, you will have to fix the registry manually, this method will work if the System Restore service was enabled.

To perform this method, you will have to remove the hard drive with the non-working system and connect it to a working computer with a second one.

We removed the hard drive and connected the second one to a working system unit. Next, we turn on the computer, wait for the working system to load and create a text document with any name, but just so that you remember it and with the extension .txt, we write there:

md tmpc:\windows\system32\config\system c:\windows\tmp\system.bakc:\windows\system32\config\software c:\windows\tmp\software.bakc:\windows\system32\config\sam c :\windows\tmp\sam.bakc:\windows\system32\config\security c:\windows\tmp\security.bakc:\windows\system32\config\default c:\windows\tmp\default.bakc:\windows \system32\config\systemc:\windows\system32\config\softwarec:\windows\system32\config\samc:\windows\system32\config\securityc:\windows\system32\config\defaultc:\windows\repair\system c :\windows\system32\config\systemc:\windows\repair\software c:\windows\system32\config\softwarec:\windows\repair\sam c:\windows\system32\config\samc:\windows\repair\security c:\windows\system32\config\securityc:\windows\repair\default c:\windows\system32\config\default

Insert the Windows XP installation CD and restart problem computer, you need to boot from the drive.

When the message “Welcome to the Setup Wizard” appears, press the R key to launch the Recovery Console.

If your computer has two or more operating systems installed, select the Windows that you want to access from the Recovery Console.

When prompted, enter your administrator password. If you have not assigned a password for the administrator account, press ENTER.

In the console you need to run batch command, (which allows you to execute a sequence of commands saved in a text file) and then the name of the text file that you had to remember or write down with the extension .txt, thereby overwriting the damaged registry files backup copies from the \repair folder.

After performing a registry restore, enter EXIT

There is another option, enter the command in the recovery console: CHKDSK C: /R/F, this command starts checking data on the disk; by default, CHKDSK does not check the disk surface for bad sectors and does not correct errors.

To search for bad sectors, you must set the /R flag

To correct errors you need to set the /F flag.

Sometimes errors are found and corrected and the computer boots.

You can try to put the operating system on top, that is, run normal installation Windows XP, but at the last moment choose not to install, but to restore. Restoring the Windows XP system through the installation program.

2.2.3 Windows often freezes and reboots

The reasons for this malfunction of a personal computer are: conflicts of system devices, errors in registry entries, corrupted system files, incorrect operation installed programs. The main cause of trouble is computer viruses.

The solution to this problem.

Enter safe mode.

Safe mode or Safe mode is a mode of operation of the Windows operating system when only applications from standard delivery Windows.

This mode is designed to correct situations with incorrect software installation or the need to configure the operating system.

To boot the OS Windows any models in Safe Mode, you need:

Start restarting your computer.

Before starting the operating system, press the F8 key on your keyboard (you can press it several times from the start of the computer).

The screen will appear text menu from several points in which you need to select the “Safe Mode” item and confirm the selection with the Enter key.

If everything was done correctly, you can start scanning and disinfecting your computer in Safe Mode.

Try to rollback:

START-ALL PROGRAMS-STANDARD-SERVICES-SYSTEM RESTORATION....

We need to remember from what date the PC started to fail.

Type in the command line: sfc /scannow. Checks and restores system files. You will need a distribution disk.

If your computer starts to freeze, you need to do a comprehensive check and defragment the disks. Just do this offline, as the procedure takes a long time and depends on the capacity and load of the disks.

START-ALL PROGRAMS-STANDARD-SERVICES - DICK DEFRAGMENTATION

To perform a comprehensive check of your computer, do the following:

START - MY COMPUTER - select DISK c:\ right click)-PROPERTIES-SERVICE-PERFORM CHECK.

You can also do the same disk defragmentation. If you have several disks, then these procedures must be done with all disks separately.

Programs are stopped using the STOP button, and then to EXIT.

Such maintenance must be done at least three times a month. You can do it more often - it won't hurt.

2.4 Unknown device error

If Intel® desktops support the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) feature, you may see a yellow exclamation mark on the Unfamiliar Device icon in Device Manager. This error may occur even if the TPM module is disabled in the BIOS.

The solution to this problem.

For elimination Unknown Device TPM drivers must be installed in Device Manager. The TPM software/drivers can be installed from the resource CD that came with your system board for desktop PCs, or from the Intel Download Center. Execute the following actions:

Enable TPM in system BIOS. During boot, enter BIOS Setup by pressing F2.

b. Enter the Advanced > Peripheral configuration menu.

c. Enable the Trusted Platform Module feature. Press F10 to save changes and exit.

Install TPM drivers.

After installing the drivers, if desired, you can disable the TPM module through the BIOS.

During installation of TPM provisioning, the Security Platform icon will be moved to Windows* Quick Launch bar; During computer startup, you may see a notification “Security Platform is not initialized. You have not initialized the Security Platform." To resolve this notification, disable the Security Platform provisioning on Quick Launch as follows:

1.Click Start » Run.

2.Type MSCONFIG and click OK.

.On the General tab, select Selective startup.

.On the Services tab, deselect Security Platform Management Service and Trusted Platform Core Service.

5.On the Startup tab, deselect the SpTNA and PSDrt items.

.Click Apply and then Close.

.Reboot the system.

2.3 Diagnosing operating system faults

AutoRuns utility

The utility shows not only the standard places from which programs are downloaded, but also all services, scheduled tasks, Explorer extensions and even Internet Explorer add-ons.

The utility is indispensable for quickly analyzing startup for unnecessary programs. In this context, it is very convenient to hide entries related to Windows components (Hide Windows Entries). You can also hide all Microsoft-owned entries.

To identify malicious activity, the Verify Code Signatures feature is very useful. In this case, hide Windows entries no need. On the contrary, if you see that the digital signature of a system component is not confirmed, this may indicate that it has been tampered with.

Utility Process Monitor.

Controls and monitors the entire operation of the operating system<#"justify">Troubleshooting is a new panel item Windows management 7, designed for automatic solution the most common problems that users contact Microsoft technical support with. If you have a problem with your equipment, network, Internet browser Explorer, Aero, or programs are not working correctly, try to solve it using built-in Windows tools.

Open Start - Search - Troubleshooting, or search for control /name Microsoft.Troubleshooting and press Enter. To display all tests, click View All Categories in the left pane.

Run the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool

There are different ways to run the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool, depending on your specific situation. It can be accessed from the System Recovery Options menu. But if the operating system boots normally, and problems arise only occasionally, then everything is much simpler.

Click the Start button, open Control Panel, and click the System and Security icon ( System and Security). In the window that opens, select “Administrative Tools” and click on the “Windows Memory Diagnostics” icon. Or you can open the Start menu, type “memory” in the search bar and select “Diagnose problems” from the results random access memory computer" (Windows Memory Diagnostic). The "Windows Memory Diagnostic" window appears. Select the Restart Now and Check for Problems option. The dialog box will close and the system will automatically reboot.

Starting and checking memory.

Regardless of the startup method you choose, after rebooting, the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool screen will appear and the test will begin. The progress of the operation is indicated as a percentage and is indicated by a progress bar. During the diagnostic process, the utility repeatedly writes certain values to memory and then reads them back to ensure that the data has not changed.

By default, the Standard test is used, but two other options are available. To select one, press the button to bring up the Options screen.

In the “Test Mix” section, you can select the “Basic” test, which includes limited set checks, or “Wide,” which offers an expanded range of tests - so expanded that the test can take eight hours or more.

Each test suite has default cache settings that are optimal for this option checks. But you can use the key to go to the “Cache” section and set own settings. By cache in this case we mean the microprocessor cache, which is used to store data received from memory modules. Some tests use the cache, while others disable it to force the processor to access memory modules directly.

Each test runs twice by default. But you can use the key to go to the “Number of Passes” section and specify how many times the test should be repeated. After changing the settings, click to save the settings and begin scanning.

As the process progresses, information about detected faults appears in the “Status” section. But it is not at all necessary to constantly monitor the process, since the Windows memory diagnostic tool is able to identify the problematic sector of the chip and exclude it from use. Thanks to this, Windows 7 will start normally, without crashes.

After Windows boot and login, a message about the scan results will appear in the notification area.

The report can also be viewed using the Event Viewer. Open the System log and find “MemoryDiagnostics-Results” in the Source list. The “Event ID” column should indicate “1201”.

3. CALCULATION AND ECONOMIC PART

The calculation and economic part contains software for diagnostics.

Diagnostic software:

Device Brief characteristics Cost AutoRuns utility The utility is indispensable for quickly analyzing startup for unnecessary programs. 2200 rubles Process Monitor utility Using Process Monitor, you can search for and monitor problems in the system, as well as malware <#"justify">This software will be needed to diagnose and test the operating system. These prices are because the programs are licensed and subject to certification.

Troubleshooting cost:

MalfunctionPriceWindows does not boot.300 RURRegistry error.500 RURWindows often freezes and reboots.400 RURUnknown device error.350 RURTotal1550 RUR

Operating system repair prices are indicated in accordance with prices in Voronezh for 2013. They may vary depending on the problem.

4. SAFETY

Safety precautions establish the rules and procedures for working in premises equipped with personal electronic devices. computers(PC) and other electronic equipment.

Access to working with a personal computer is only permitted after undergoing safety training.

When installing the system unit, it is strictly prohibited:

· Install the switched-on PC

· Install a PC connected to the electrical network

· Carry out installation with wet hands

When installing the system unit you should:

· Ground the system unit above which installation will be carried out

· Use a grounding bracelet

· In progress physical shutdown components when applying strong pressure to them, bending printed circuit boards and microcircuits

· To install parts of the system unit that are secured with screws, use specialized tools (screwdriver)

When working with a PC, it is prohibited:

· Upgrade or change OS settings without instructor permission

· Open the case of the system unit and peripheral devices

· Touch your fingers to the monitor screen and change its settings

· Use PC resources for commercial purposes

memory personal diagnostics problem

CONCLUSION

During the course project, the process of finding and correcting faults in the Windows operating system on a computer was studied, and as a result, an algorithm for identifying and fixing problems was compiled.

The course project can be used as instructions by employees of companies and enterprises working with the Windows operating system, as well as by college students studying disciplines related to the maintenance, modernization and repair of computer systems and complexes.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Borzenko A.E. “Software” / A.E. Borzenko, A. G. Fedorov M.: ComputerPress, 1996.

Dyakonov V.P. “Popular encyclopedia of PC” / V.P Dyakonov - M.: ABF, 1996.

Leontiev V.P. “PC problems” / V.P. Leontiev - M.: OlmaMediaGroup, 2009.

1. AutoRuns utility

The utility shows not only the standard places from which programs are downloaded, but also all services, scheduled tasks, Explorer extensions and even Internet Explorer add-ons.

To identify malicious activity, the Verify Code Signatures feature is very useful. In this case, there is no need to hide Windows entries. On the contrary, if you see that the digital signature of a system component is not confirmed, this may indicate that it has been tampered with.

2. Process Monitor utility.

Controls and monitors the entire operation of the operating system and displays all ongoing processes, running libraries, various device drivers, as well as all changes occurring to files and displays a message about their deletion or opening.

Includes a tool for monitoring the system registry and shows which programs are accessing it (which keys are being read and trying to write something to them).

Using Process Monitor, you can search for and monitor system problems and malware. In addition, the utility can provide detailed information about each process, which user started it or the full path to the directory. Process Monitor can process millions of processes and save the entire event log to a file of up to 1 gigabyte.,

3. Scanner utility

Content Analysis Software hard drives, CDs, floppy disks and other media: to begin with, it shows in the form of a visual diagram all the folders and files located in the root of the analyzed disk, after which it is possible to move deeper to obtain information about the contents of subfolders, and also displays information about files and folders. Allows you to quickly remove detected unnecessary files and folders; works without installation; interface - in the language installed in the system.

4. Built-in Windows 7 troubleshooters

Troubleshooter is a new control panel item in Windows 7 that is designed to automatically resolve the most common problems that users contact Microsoft support for. If you have a problem with your equipment, network, Internet Explorer, Aero browser, or programs are not working correctly, try to solve it using the built-in Windows tools.

Open Start - Search - Troubleshooting, or search for control /name Microsoft.Troubleshooting and press Enter. To display all tests, click View All Categories in the left pane.

5. Run the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool

Click the Start button, open the Control Panel, and click the System and Security icon. In the window that opens, select “Administrative Tools” and click on the “Windows Memory Diagnostics” icon. Or, you can open the Start menu, type “memory” in the search bar, and select “Windows Memory Diagnostic” from the results. The “Windows Memory Diagnostic” window will appear. . Select the Restart Now and Check for Problems option. The dialog box will close and the system will automatically reboot.

6. Launch and check memory.

By default, the Standard test is used, but two other options are available. To select one, press the button to bring up the Options screen.

In the Test Mix section, you can choose a “Basic” test, which includes a limited set of tests, or a “Wide” test, which offers an expanded range of tests - so expanded that the test can take eight hours or more.

Each test set has default cache settings that are optimal for a given test option. But you can use the key to go to the “Cache” section and set your own settings. By cache in this case we mean the microprocessor cache, which is used to store data received from memory modules. Some tests use the cache, while others disable it to force the processor to access memory modules directly.

After Windows boots and you log in, a message about the scan results will appear in the notification area.

The report can also be viewed using the Event Viewer. Open the System log and find “MemoryDiagnostics-Results” in the Source list. The “Event ID” column should indicate “1201”.

Troubleshooting. To troubleshoot network adapter issues, follow these steps:

To troubleshoot network adapter issues, follow these steps:

Check if there is communication using the Ping or PathPing command line utilities. Ping is used to identify network device problems and misconfigurations. And PathPing is for finding out whether packets are lost during multi-hop calls.

To display Ping statistics, use ping command-t. To display statistics and continue working, click CTRL keys+BREAK. To stop the operation, press CTRL+C. If lost packets are detected in the statistics, this indicates problems up to Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) Layer 3 (IP layer communications).

If the connection to the remote system being accessed has a long latency (this applies, for example, to satellite link communication), you may have to wait longer for answers. The -w (wait) switch is used to specify a longer wait time.

Check the event logs for entries related to network cards or connections.

For more information, see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article.

308427 View and manage Windows XP event logs using Event Viewer

Check if there is network adapter in the Microsoft Hardware Compatibility List.

Check other computers using the same default gateway that are connected to the same hub or switch. If they do not experience problems with network connections, the problem may be due to a faulty network adapter on your specific computer.

If this is the case, update your network adapter driver to the latest version.

Contact the vendor of each motherboard and update the BIOS on the boards. Some network adapters and motherboards or BIOS versions are incompatible. Download the latest version from the vendor's website or contact your hardware vendor.

Check to see if the settings on the network adapter and the uplink hardware (hub or switch) match. Make sure that for all additional network resources(network adapter, hub, and switch) are set to the same speed and duplex level. If the transmission mode is set to automatic detection, automatic detection or automatic selection, make sure that automatic detection on all components is performed correctly.

On some switches the task automatic detection For duplex channel may result in half duplex being used. You may need to force full duplex.

Reset the switch, reboot the client computer, and test connectivity.

Switch the client and server to a passive hub. If communication resumes, the problem may be due to a misconfigured network switch.

For more information about setting up devices, contact your hardware vendor.

Manually set the network adapter on the computer that is having connectivity issues to half duplex and a lower speed.

Connect the system to a switch that is configured for half-duplex and 10 Mbps speed, or use a 10 Mbps hub to ensure that a lower speed connection can be established.

To improve performance, manually increase the speed to 100 Mbps, and then restart your computers. Perform a loss test network connection, increase the value to full duplex, and then restart the computers. If network loss occurs, reduce the duplex level and speed, restoring the previous settings.

Replace network cable, connecting the failing system to a hub or switch.

Replace your network adapter with one that has been tested and proven to be reliable by following these steps:

Uninstall the network adapter diagnostic program.

Remove the network adapter in the network properties section.

Install a new network adapter.

Run Network Monitor on both ends of the network connection at the same time. After filtering the traces on the addresses of the two systems, compare both traces to see if the same traffic is shown.

Use the Network Monitor Experts TCP Retransmit feature to detect TCP retransmits by following these steps:

Launch Network Monitor.

On the Tools menu, click Experts, and then click TCP Retransmit in the navigation bar.

Click Add to Runlist.

Click Launch Experts.

If frames are missing in one of the traces, check all intermediate cables, hubs, switches, and routers for hardware problems or configuration errors.

IN network monitor View the Capture Statistics frame. This frame is the last frame of the trace. If it contains a non-zero value in the following statistics counters, the communication error may be due to hardware failure or incorrect configuration:

STATS: MAC CRC Errors = 0

STATS: MAC Frames Dropped due to HardWare Errors = 0

To ensure proper functioning, duplex parameters network switches and server network adapters must match each other. You must set full duplex or half duplex. Differences are unacceptable.

Computers in local network(LAN) usually use a shared full-duplex network environment. This configuration allows simultaneous data transfer by two computers.

Communication problems may occur if:

The computer has been moved to a new one Ethernet port switch that automatically detects network speed. However, the computer's network adapter is configured to force full-duplex communication at a static network data rate (10 Mbps, 100 Mbps, or 1 Gbps).

Both the switch's Ethernet port and the computer's network adapter are configured to force full-duplex communication at 100 Mbps or 1 Gbps. However, an Ethernet switch or network adapter cannot communicate at this speed or use full duplex transmission.

The performance of an Ethernet-based LAN can be improved by using full-duplex equipment. This configuration ensures two-way data exchange between network devices. Without full-duplex equipment, information is transmitted first in one direction and then in the opposite direction. In a half-duplex hardware configuration, packet collisions occur frequently, and each collision requires the packet data to be resent. This results in increased traffic volume, which in turn contributes to decreased network performance.

When using full duplex, the receive and transmit channels are separated. Therefore, it is possible to simultaneously transmit and receive data without causing any collision. Due to increase bandwidth and collision-free, full-duplex link is more susceptible to cable termination failures or cable attenuation exceeding recommended limits. As a result, data may be retransmitted, which is enough to degrade performance.

Many PC owners encounter various errors and malfunctions in their computer, but cannot determine the cause of the problem. In this article, we will look at the main methods for diagnosing a computer, allowing you to independently identify and fix various problems.

Keep in mind that high-quality diagnostics of a computer can take the whole day; set aside a day in the morning specifically for this, and do not start everything in the late afternoon.

I warn you that I will write in detail as for beginners who have never disassembled a computer, in order to warn about everyone possible nuances which can lead to problems.

1. Disassembling and cleaning the computer

When disassembling and cleaning your computer, do not rush, do everything carefully so as not to damage anything. Place components in a pre-prepared safe place.

It is not advisable to start diagnostics before cleaning, since you will not be able to identify the cause of the malfunction if it is caused by clogged contacts or the cooling system. Additionally, diagnostics may fail to complete due to repeated failures.

Unplug the system unit from the outlet at least 15 minutes before cleaning so that the capacitors have time to discharge.

Perform disassembly in the following sequence:

Disconnect all wires from the system unit.
Remove both side covers.
Disconnect the power connectors from the video card and remove it.
Remove all memory sticks.
Disconnect and remove cables from all drives.
Unscrew and remove all discs.
Disconnect all power supply cables.
Unscrew and remove the power supply.

motherboard, CPU cooler, there is no need to remove case fans; you can also leave the DVD drive if it works normally.

Carefully blow out the system unit and all components separately powerful flow air from a vacuum cleaner without a dust bag.

Carefully remove the cover from the power supply and blow it out without touching the electrical parts and the board with your hands or metal parts, as there may be voltage in the capacitors!

If your vacuum cleaner does not work on blowing, but only on blowing, then it will be a little more difficult. Clean it well so that it pulls as much as possible. When cleaning, it is recommended to use a soft bristled brush.

You can also use a soft brush to remove stubborn dust.

Thoroughly clean the processor cooler heatsink, having first examined where and how much it is clogged with dust, since this is one of the common reasons CPU overheating and PC crashes.

Also make sure that the cooler mount is not broken, the clamp is not opened and the radiator is securely pressed to the processor.

Be careful when cleaning fans, do not let them spin too much and do not bring the vacuum cleaner attachment close to it if it does not have a brush, so as not to knock off the blade.

After cleaning, do not rush to put everything back together, but move on to the next steps.

2. Checking the motherboard battery

The first thing after cleaning, so as not to forget later, I check the battery charge on the motherboard, and at the same time reset the BIOS. In order to pull it out, you need to press the latch with a flat screwdriver in the direction indicated in the photo and it will pop out on its own.

After this, you need to measure its voltage with a multimeter, optimally if it is within 2.5-3 V. The initial battery voltage is 3 V.

If the battery voltage is below 2.5 V, then it is advisable to change it. The voltage of 2 V is critically low and the PC is already starting to fail, which manifests itself in resetting the BIOS settings and stopping at the beginning of the PC boot with a prompt to press F1 or some other key to continue booting.

If you don’t have a multimeter, you can take the battery with you to the store and ask them to check it there, or just buy a replacement battery in advance, it’s standard and very inexpensive.

A clear sign of a dead battery is the date and time on the computer constantly disappearing.

The battery needs to be changed in a timely manner, but if you don’t have a replacement on hand right now, then simply do not disconnect the system unit from the power supply until you change the battery. In this case, the settings should not be lost, but problems may still arise, so do not delay.

Checking the battery good time for complete reset BIOS. This resets not only the BIOS settings, which can be done through the Setup menu, but also the so-called volatile CMOS memory, which stores the parameters of all devices (processor, memory, video card, etc.).

Errors inCMOSoften cause the following problems:

computer won't turn on
turns on every other time
turns on and nothing happens
turns on and off by itself

I remind you that before resetting BIOS system the unit must be unplugged from the outlet, otherwise the CMOS will be powered by the power supply and nothing will work.

To reset the BIOS, use a screwdriver or other metal object to close the contacts in the battery connector for 10 seconds; this is usually enough to discharge the capacitors and completely clear the CMOS.

A sign that a reset has occurred will be an erroneous date and time, which will need to be set in the BIOS the next time you boot the computer.

4. Visual inspection of components

Carefully inspect all capacitors on the motherboard for swelling or leaks, especially in the processor socket area.

Sometimes capacitors swell down instead of up, causing them to tilt as if they were just slightly bent or unevenly soldered.

If any capacitors are swollen, then you need to send the motherboard for repair as soon as possible and ask to resolder all the capacitors, including those located next to the swollen ones.

Also inspect the capacitors and other elements of the power supply; there should be no swelling, drips, or signs of burning.

Inspect the disc contacts for oxidation.

They can be cleaned with an eraser and after that be sure to replace the cable or power adapter that was used to connect this disk, since it is already damaged and most likely caused oxidation.

In general, check all the cables and connectors so that they are clean, have shiny contacts, and are tightly connected to the drives and motherboard. All cables that do not meet these requirements must be replaced.

Check that the wires from the front panel of the case to the motherboard are connected correctly.

It is important that the polarity be observed (plus to plus, minus to minus), since there is a common ground on the front panel and failure to observe the polarity will lead to a short circuit, which is why the computer may behave inappropriately (turn on every other time, turn off itself or reboot) .

Where the plus and minus in the front panel contacts is indicated on the board itself, in the paper manual for it and in electronic version manuals on the manufacturer's website. The contacts of the wires from the front panel also indicate where the plus and minus are. Typically the white wire is the negative wire, and the positive connector may be indicated by a triangle on the plastic connector.

Many even experienced assemblers make a mistake here, so check.

5. Checking the power supply

If the computer did not turn on at all before cleaning, then do not rush to assemble it; first of all, you need to check the power supply. However, in any case, it won’t hurt to check the power supply; maybe it’s because of it that the computer is crashing.

Check the power supply thoroughly assembled form to avoid electric shock, short circuit or accidental damage to the fan.

To test the power supply, connect the only green wire in the motherboard connector to any black one. This will signal to the power supply that it is connected to the motherboard, otherwise it will not turn on.

Then plug the power supply into the surge protector and press the button on it. Don't forget that the power supply itself may also have an on/off button.

A spinning fan should be a sign that the power supply is turned on. If the fan does not spin, it may be faulty and needs to be replaced.

In some silent blocks power supply, the fan may not start spinning immediately, but only under load; this is normal and can be checked while operating the PC.

Use a multimeter to measure the voltage between the contacts in the connectors for peripheral devices.

They should be approximately in the following range.

12 V (yellow-black) – 11.7-12.5 V
5 V (red-black) – 4.7-5.3 V
3.3 V (orange-black) – 3.1-3.5 V

If any voltage is missing or greatly exceeds the specified limits, then the power supply is faulty. It is best to replace it with a new one, but if the computer itself is inexpensive, then repairs are allowed; power supplies can be done easily and inexpensively.

The startup of the power supply and normal voltages is a good sign, but in itself does not mean that the power supply is good, since failures can occur due to voltage drops or ripples under load. But this is already determined at subsequent stages of testing.

6. Checking power contacts

Be sure to check everything electrical contacts from the outlet to the system unit. The socket must be modern (suitable for a European plug), reliable and not loose, with clean elastic contacts. The same requirements apply to the surge protector and the cable from the computer's power supply.

Contact must be reliable, plugs and connectors must not dangle, spark, or be oxidized. Pay close attention to this, as bad contact often causes failure of the system unit, monitor and other peripheral devices.

If you suspect the quality of the outlet, surge protector, power cable of the system unit or monitor, then change them as quickly as possible to avoid damage to the computer. Do not delay or save on this, as repairing a PC or monitor will cost much more.

Also, poor contact is often the cause of PC malfunctions, which are accompanied by sudden shutdown or a reboot with subsequent failures on the hard drive and, as a result, disruption of the operating system.

Failures can also occur due to voltage drops or ripples in the 220 V network, especially in the private sector and remote areas of the city. In this case, failures may occur even when the computer is idle. Try measuring the voltage in the outlet immediately after the computer spontaneously turns off or restarts and watch the readings for a while. This way you can identify long-term drawdowns, from which a linear-interactive UPS with a stabilizer will save you.

7. Assembling and turning on the computer

After cleaning and inspecting the PC, carefully reassemble it and carefully check that you have connected everything you need. If the computer refused to turn on before cleaning or turned on every other time, then it is advisable to connect the components one by one. If there were no such problems, then skip the next section.

7.1. Step-by-step PC assembly

First, connect the motherboard power connector and the processor power connector to the motherboard with the processor. Do not insert RAM, video card or connect disks.

Turn on the power of the PC and if motherboard everything is fine, the processor cooler fan should spin up. Also, if a beeper is connected to the motherboard, a beep code usually sounds indicating a lack of RAM.

Memory installation

Turn off the computer with a short or (if that doesn’t work) long press of the power button on the system unit and insert one stick of RAM into the colored slot closest to the processor. If all the slots are the same color, then just go to the one closest to the processor.

Make sure that the memory stick is inserted evenly until it stops and that the latches snap into place, otherwise it may be damaged when you turn on the PC.

If the computer starts up with one stick of memory and there is a beeping sound, then a code usually sounds indicating that there is no video card (if there is no integrated graphics). If the beep code indicates problems with the RAM, then try inserting another stick in the same place. If the problem continues or there is no other bracket, then move the bracket to another nearby slot. If there are no sounds, then everything is probably fine, continue further.

Turn off the computer and insert the second memory stick into the slot of the same color. If the motherboard has 4 slots of the same color, then follow the instructions for the motherboard so that the memory is in the recommended dual channel mode slots Then turn it on again and check whether the PC turns on and what sound signals it makes.

If you have 3 or 4 memory sticks, then simply insert them one by one, turning the PC off and on each time. If the computer does not start with a certain stick or produces a memory error code, then this stick is faulty. You can also check the motherboard slots by moving the working strip into different slots.

Some motherboards have a red indicator that lights up in case of memory problems, and sometimes a segment indicator with an error code, the explanation of which is in the motherboard manual.

If the computer starts, then further memory testing occurs at another stage.

Installing a video card

It's time to test the video card by inserting it into the top PCI-E slot x16 (or AGP for older PCs). Don't forget to connect additional power to the video card with the appropriate connectors.

With a video card, the computer should start normally, without sound signals, or with a single sound signal, indicating normal completion of the self-test.

If the PC does not turn on or emits a video card error code, then it is most likely faulty. But don't rush to conclusions, sometimes you just need to connect a monitor and keyboard.

Connecting a monitor

Turn off the PC and connect the monitor to the video card (or motherboard if there is no video card). Make sure that the connector to the video card and monitor is connected tightly; sometimes tight connectors do not go in all the way, which is the reason for the absence of an image on the screen.

Turn on your monitor and make sure it is selected correct source signal (the connector to which the PC is connected, if there are several of them).

Turn on the computer and a graphical splash screen and text messages from the motherboard should appear on the screen. Usually this is a prompt to enter the BIOS using the F1 key, a message about the absence of a keyboard or boot devices, this is normal.

If the computer silently turns on, but there is nothing on the screen, there is most likely something wrong with the video card or monitor. The video card can only be checked by moving it to a working computer. The monitor can be connected to another work PC or device (laptop, player, tuner, etc.). Don't forget to select the desired signal source in the monitor settings.

Connecting a keyboard and mouse

If everything is fine with the video card and monitor, then move on. Connect the keyboard first, then the mouse, one at a time, turning the PC off and on each time. If the computer freezes after connecting a keyboard or mouse, it means they need to be replaced - it happens!

Connecting drives

If the computer starts with a keyboard and mouse, then we begin to connect one by one hard disks. First, connect the second drive without the operating system (if you have one).

Do not forget that in addition to connecting the interface cable to the motherboard, you also need to connect the connector from the power supply to the drive.

Then turn on the computer and if it comes to BIOS messages, then everything is fine. If the PC does not turn on, freezes or turns itself off, then the controller of this disk is faulty and needs to be replaced or repaired to save the data.

Turn off the computer and connect the DVD drive (if any) with an interface cable and power supply. If problems arise after this, then the drive has a power failure and needs to be replaced; repairing it usually makes no sense.

At the end, we connect the main system drive and prepare to enter the BIOS for the initial setup before starting the operating system. We turn on the computer and if everything is fine, move on to the next step.

When you turn on your computer for the first time, go to the BIOS. Typically used for this Delete key, less often others (F1, F2, F10 or Esc), which is indicated in the prompts at the beginning of the boot.

On the first tab, set the date and time, and on the “Boot” tab, select your first boot device HDD with the operating system.

On older motherboards with a classic BIOS it may look like this.

On more modern ones with graphics UEFI shell a little different, but the meaning is the same.

To exit the BIOS and save the settings, press F10. Don't be distracted and watch the operating system load completely to notice possible problems.

After the PC has finished booting, check whether the fans of the processor cooler, power supply and video card are working, otherwise there is no point in further testing.

Some modern video cards may not turn on the fans until a certain temperature of the video chip is reached.

If any of the case fans does not work, then it’s not a big deal, just plan to replace it in the near future, don’t be distracted by it now.

8. Error analysis

This is where diagnostics essentially begin, and everything described above was just preparation, after which many problems could go away and without it there was no point in starting testing.

8.1. Enabling Memory Dumps

If blue screens of death (BSOD) appear while your computer is running, this can make troubleshooting much easier. A prerequisite for this is the presence of memory dumps (or at least self-written error codes).

To check or enable the dump recording function, press the “Win + R” key combination on your keyboard, enter “sysdm.cpl” in the line that appears and press OK or Enter.

In the window that appears, go to the “Advanced” tab and in the “Boot and Recovery” section, click the “Options” button.

The “Record debugging information” field should be “Small memory dump”.

If so, then you should already have dumps of previous errors in the "C:\Windows\Minidump" folder.

If this option was not enabled, then dumps were not saved, enable it at least now to be able to analyze errors if they recur.

Memory dumps may not be created in time during serious failures that involve rebooting or shutting down the PC. Also, some system cleaning utilities and antivirus programs can remove them; you must disable the system cleaning function during diagnostics.

If there are dumps in the specified folder, then we proceed to their analysis.

8.2. Memory dump analysis

To analyze memory dumps in order to identify what leads to failures, there is a wonderful utility “BlueScreenView”, which you can download along with other diagnostic utilities in the “” section.

This utility shows files in which a failure occurred. These files belong to the operating system, device drivers, or some program. Accordingly, based on the file’s ownership, you can determine which device or software caused the failure.

If you cannot boot your computer in normal mode, then try booting into safe mode by holding down the “F8” key immediately after disappearing graphic splash screen motherboard or BIOS text messages.

Go through the dumps and see which files appear most often as the culprits of the failure, they are highlighted in red. Right-click on one of these files and view its Properties.

In our case, it is easy to determine that the file belongs to the nVidia video card driver and most of the errors were caused by it.

In addition, some dumps contained the “dxgkrnl.sys” file, even from the name of which it is clear that it refers to DirectX, which is directly related to 3D graphics. This means that it is most likely that the video card is to blame for the failure, which should be subjected to thorough testing, which we will also consider.

In the same way, you can determine that the fault is caused by a sound card, network card, hard drive, or some program that penetrates deeply into the system, such as an antivirus. For example, if a disk fails, the controller driver will crash.

If you cannot determine which driver or program a particular file belongs to, then look for this information on the Internet by the file name.

If failures occur in the sound card driver, then most likely it is faulty. If it is integrated, then you can disable it through the BIOS and install another discrete one. The same can be said about the network card. However, network failures can be caused, which is often resolved by updating the driver network card and connecting to the Internet via a router.

In any case, do not make hasty conclusions until the diagnostics are completely completed; maybe your Windows is simply faulty or a virus has entered, which can be solved by reinstalling the system.

Also in the BlueScreenView utility you can see the error codes and inscriptions that were on blue screen. To do this, go to the “Options” menu and select the “Blue Screen in XP Style” view or press the “F8” key.

After that, switching between errors, you will see how they looked on the blue screen.

You can also find by error code possible reason problems on the Internet, but depending on the ownership of the files, this is easier and more reliable. To return to the previous view, you can use the “F6” key.

If errors always appear different files and various error codes, then this is a sign of possible problems with the RAM, in which everything crashes. We will diagnose it first.

9. Testing RAM

Even if you think that the problem is not in the RAM, still check it first. Sometimes a place has several problems, and if the RAM fails, then diagnosing everything else is quite difficult due to frequent PC failures.

Carrying out a memory test with boot disk is prerequisite, since it is difficult to get accurate results in the Windows operating system on a faulty PC.

In addition, “Hiren’s BootCD” contains several alternative memory tests in case “Memtest 86+” does not start and many more useful utilities for testing hard drives, video memory, etc.

You can download the “Hiren’s BootCD” image in the same place as everything else – in the “” section. If you do not know how to correctly burn such an image to CD or DVD disc, refer to the article where we looked at, here everything is done exactly the same.

Set BIOS to boot from DVD drive or use " Boot Menu"as described in, boot from Hiren's BootCD and run "Memtest 86+".

Testing can last from 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the speed and amount of RAM. One full pass must be completed and the test will go around the second round. If everything is fine with the memory, then after the first pass (Pass 1) there should be no errors (Errors 0).

After this, testing can be interrupted using the “Esc” key and the computer will reboot.

If there were errors, you will have to test each strip separately, removing all the others to determine which one is broken.

If the broken bar is still under warranty, then take a photo from the screen using a camera or smartphone and present it to the warranty department of the store or service center (although in most cases this is not necessary).

In any case, it is not advisable to use a PC with broken memory and carry out further diagnostics before replacing it, since various incomprehensible errors will appear.

10. Preparation for component tests

Everything else, except RAM, is tested under Windows. Therefore, in order to exclude the influence of the operating system on the test results, it is advisable to do, if necessary, temporarily and the most.

If this is difficult for you or you don’t have time, then you can try testing on an old system. But, if failures occur due to problems in the operating system, some driver, program, virus, antivirus (i.e. in the software part), then testing the hardware will not help determine this and you may go down the wrong path. And on a clean system, you will have the opportunity to see how the computer behaves and completely eliminate the influence of the software component.

Personally, I always do everything as expected from start to finish as described in this article. Yes, it takes a whole day, but if you ignore my advice, you can struggle for weeks without identifying the cause of the problem.

The fastest and easiest way is to test the processor, unless of course there are obvious signs that the problem is in the video card, which we will discuss below.

If your computer starts to slow down some time after turning it on, freezes when watching videos or playing games, suddenly reboots or turns off under load, then there is a possibility of the processor overheating. In fact, this is one of the most common causes of such problems.

At the cleaning stage and visual inspection you should have made sure that the CPU cooler is not clogged with dust, its fan is spinning, and the heatsink is securely pressed against the processor. I also hope that you did not remove it when cleaning, as this requires replacing the thermal paste, which I will talk about later.

We will use “CPU-Z” for a stress test with warming up the processor, and “HWiNFO” to monitor its temperature. Although, it is better to use for temperature monitoring proprietary utility motherboard, it is more precise. For example, ASUS has “PC Probe”.

To begin with, it would be a good idea to find out the maximum allowable thermal envelope of your processor (T CASE). For example, for my Core i7-6700K it is 64 °C.

You can find out by going to the manufacturer’s website from an Internet search. This is the critical temperature in the heat spreader (under the processor cover), the maximum allowed by the manufacturer. Do not confuse this with core temperature, which is usually higher and is also displayed in some utilities. Therefore, we will focus not on the temperature of the cores according to the processor sensors, but on the overall temperature of the processor according to the readings of the motherboard.

In practice, for most older processors, critical temperature above which failures begin is 60 °C. The most modern processors can operate at 70 °C, which is also critical for them. You can find out the actual stable temperature of your processor from tests on the Internet.

So, we launch both utilities – “CPU-Z” and “HWiNFO”, find the processor temperature sensor (CPU) in the motherboard indicators, run the test in “CPU-Z” with the “Stress CPU” button and observe the temperature.

If after 10-15 minutes of the test the temperature is 2-3 degrees below the critical temperature for your processor, then there is nothing to worry about. But, if there were failures during high load, then it’s better to run this test for 30-60 minutes. If your PC freezes or reboots during testing, you should consider improving cooling.

Please note that a lot also depends on the temperature in the room; it is possible that in cooler conditions the problem will not appear, but in hotter conditions it will immediately make itself felt. So you always need cooling with a reserve.

If your CPU is overheating, check if your cooler is compatible. If not, then you need to change it; no tricks will help here. If the cooler is powerful enough, but can’t handle it a little, then you should change the thermal paste to a more effective one; at the same time, the cooler itself may be installed more successfully.

Among inexpensive but very good thermal pastes, I can recommend Artic MX-4.

It must be applied in a thin layer, having first removed the old paste with dry material and then with cotton wool soaked in alcohol.

Replacing thermal paste will give you a gain of 3-5 °C; if this is not enough, then simply install additional case fans, at least the most inexpensive ones.

14. Disk testing

This is the longest step after the RAM test, so I prefer to leave it for last. To begin with, you can conduct a speed test of all drives using the “HDTune” utility, for which I give “”. This sometimes helps to identify freezes when accessing the disk, which indicates problems with it.

Look at the SMART parameters, where the “disk health” is displayed, there should be no red lines there and the overall disk status should be “OK”.

You can download a list of the main SMART parameters and what they are responsible for in the “” section.

Full test surfaces can be produced using the same utilities from Windows. The process may take 2-4 hours depending on the size and speed of the disk (about 1 hour for every 500 MB). Upon completion of the test, there should not be a single broken block, which are highlighted in red.

The presence of such a block is an unequivocal death sentence for the disk and 100% warranty case. Save your data faster and change the disk, just don’t tell the service that you dropped your laptop

You can check the surface as follows: regular hard disks (HDD) and solid-state drives (SSD). The latter really don’t have any surface, but if the HDD or SSD drive will freeze every time during the test, which means that the electronics are most likely faulty - it needs to be replaced or repaired (the latter is unlikely).

If you are unable to diagnose a disk under Windows, the computer crashes or freezes, then try doing this using the MHDD utility from the Hiren’s BootCD boot disk.

Problems with the controller (electronics) and the disk surface lead to error windows in the operating system, short-term and complete freezes of the computer. Typically these are messages about the inability to read a particular file and memory access errors.

Such errors can be mistaken for problems with the RAM, while the disk may well be to blame. Before you panic, try updating the disk controller driver or, conversely, returning the original one Windows driver as described in .

15. Testing the optical drive

For check optical drive Usually it's enough to just burn a disc with verification. For example, using the “Astroburn” program, it is in the “” section.

After burning a disc with a message about successful verification, try copying its entire contents on another computer. If the disk is readable and the drive reads other disks (except for hard-to-read ones), then everything is fine.

Some of the problems I have encountered with the drive include electronics failures that completely freeze or prevent the computer from turning on, failures of the retractable mechanism, contamination of the laser head lens, and damage to the head as a result of improper cleaning. In most cases, everything is solved by replacing the drive; fortunately, they are inexpensive and even if they have not been used for several years, they die from dust.

16. Body check

The case also sometimes breaks, sometimes the button gets stuck, sometimes the wiring from the front panel falls off, sometimes it shorts out in the USB connector. All this can lead to unpredictable behavior of the PC and can be solved by thorough inspection, cleaning, a tester, a soldering iron and other available means.

The main thing is that nothing short-circuits, as evidenced by a non-working light bulb or connector. If in doubt, disconnect all wires from the front panel of the case and try working on the computer for a while.

17. Checking the motherboard

Often, checking a motherboard comes down to checking all components. If all components individually work normally and pass tests, the operating system is reinstalled, but the computer still crashes, the problem may be with the motherboard. And here I can’t help you; only an experienced electronics engineer can diagnose it and identify a problem with the chipset or processor socket.

The exception is the crash of a sound or network card, which can be solved by disabling them in the BIOS and installing separate expansion cards. You can resolder the capacitors in the motherboard, but let's say replace north bridge, as a rule, it is not advisable to produce, since it is expensive and there are no guarantees, it is better to immediately buy a new motherboard.

18. If all else fails

Of course, it’s always better to discover the problem yourself and determine the best solution, since some unscrupulous repairmen try to pull the wool over your eyes and rip off your skin.

But it may happen that you follow all the recommendations, but cannot identify the problem, this has happened to me. In this case, the problem is most often in the motherboard or in the power supply; there may be a microcrack in the PCB and it makes itself felt from time to time.

In this case, there is nothing you can do, take the entire system unit to a more or less well-established computer company. There is no need to carry components in parts if you are not sure what is wrong, the issue will never be resolved. Let them sort it out, especially if the computer is still under warranty.

Computer store specialists usually don’t worry, they have a lot of different components, they just change something and see if the problem goes away, thus quickly and easily fixing the problem. They also have enough time to conduct tests.

19. Links

Transcend JetFlash 790 8GB
Hard Western drive Digital Caviar Blue WD10EZEX 1TB
Transcend StoreJet 25A3 TS1TSJ25A3K

The main task of diagnostics is to exclude the influence of third-party factors. Boot into Safe Mode. If the problem is not observed in safe mode, it lies in third party service or program.

Entering Safe Mode

In Windows 8 and later, go to Safe Mode it's correct to enter like this. The link describes login options from running system and recovery environments. I also raised this issue in the article Using the recovery environment in Windows 10 and 8.1, where I discussed different ways to enter the environment and pictures with navigation through it.

There's a shorter way + R → msconfig → Boot, although it only works on a running system.

After reboot the computer will come in into safe mode. Please note, however, that To enter normal mode you need to uncheck the box.

Service diagnostics

If there are no problems in Safe Mode, follow these steps: Win + R - msconfig - OK and go to the tab Services. Check the box Don't display Microsoft services.

Disable all displayed services (meaning only non-Microsoft ones) and reboot. If the problem does not appear, the problem is in one of these services.

Next, proceed using the “halving” method. Enable half of the services and reboot again. If the problem does not appear, the reason is the remaining disabled services. If the problem is reproducible, the reason is the enabled services - disable half of them and reboot again.

By doing this, you will be able to identify the service causing the problem and identify the program that owns it. Further, we can only recommend updating the program to the latest version or removing it.

Diagnostics of programs and drivers

You can do the same on the tab.

Note. In Windows 8 and newer, startup management is done in the task manager.

Here, too, you should not disable items manufactured by Microsoft. Disabling third-party software may cause devices to not function properly if you disable their drivers. Therefore, the programs of your manufacturers hardware(for example, Intel) it is better not to disable it, or to disable it as a last resort.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, follow Microsoft's recommendations for troubleshooting with a clean run from the Knowledge Base article